Neither is he Amitabh Bachchan nor Shah Rukh Khan even though he is the most visible face on Indian boob-tube and silver-screens across the country. Akshat Chopra, nearing 12, is the most frequent face in Indian commercials who appears before you after every few minute. Whether it’s an advertisement of Coca Cola, Motorola, Dabur Chyawanprash, Horlicks, Mc Donald, Microsoft, TVS Victor, Toyota Innova or Reebok and Air Tel, he is an integral part of many more TV commercials we vouch for with sheer attention in our drawing rooms or Cineplexes. Worked with the India’s endorsing stalwarts like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, Virendra Sehwag, Kapil Dev, etc, under top-line directors like Rakeysh Mehra, Sunhill Sippy and so on, Akshat can undoubtedly be called as the hottest little commercial-cake in India’s brand-endorsement circuit.
A product of National School of Drama (NSD) in Performing Arts and an Advance Course in Theatrical skills, Akshat, apart from uncountable commercials, has worked in more than 20 TV serials including Jasoos Vijay, Khel Khel Mein Badlo Duniya, Dishayein, Jang Lagi Talwar and Hawayein. Similarly, films are not untouched for him. He has played primary roles in three movies, which include ‘A Night in Bhopal’ (for BBC London) and ‘Journey to Hope’ both in English and Hindi. Whereas, the fourth one, which is out-an-out a commercial venture starring India’s two of the most saleable actors under one of the biggest banners, is all set to release in the mid of this year.
Not only this, due to tight commercial commitments and obligations, he has downplayed some big offers too. A case in point is yet to come on floor movie ‘Slum Dog Millionaire’ by internationally acclaimed film-maker Danny Boyle. “Despite knowing the fact that both Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan are playing cameos in this flick, I had to turn it down due to my busy schedule and clashing dates with other prior-commitments,” says Akshat.
Winner of 520 awards and recognitions till date in various forums including international, national, regional and school, Akshat has hosted various stage shows for Diyadeep (an event management and production house) and part of celebrity and semifinal rounds at India Lil Prince & Princess-2007. In 2002, former Delhi Police top brass Dr. Kiran Bedi and Dr. Mashelkar, Director General, CSIR selected him for ‘Original Mind Award’ that was conferred to him by former HRD Minister Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi. More recently, on the occasion of Children’s Day last year, he was bestowed ‘National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement’ by the Ministry of Woman and Child Development.
This child prodigy is also an excellent dancer and has scaled different heights in this category. Coached by Shiamak Davar, he ranked among top 10 dancers in the country by POGO channel/Turner International. He was among top 8 National finalists of Cadbury Bournvita Confidence Champion- 2006 in dance and acting category. He was also the national finalist of the RIN ADVANCED ‘Mera Star Super Star’ on the Star Plus channel. Likewise, he has done and participated in a number of programmes which if written here will occupy a complete page.
Moreover, Akshat has performed with and received prizes from famous Bollywood personalities like Akshay Kumar, Bipasha Basu, Saroj Khan, Daler Mehandi, Hema Sardesai, Shanker Mahadevan, Sudesh Beri, Hans Raj Hans, Aman Verma, Gulzar, Shaan and many more. For his superb and rib-tickling wittiness and all round voice modulation, he was also selected for ‘Bal Radio Jockey’ by 93.5 Red FM two years back, where besides giving his childish voice, he presented a motley of programmes.
Youngest among two of the siblings, and son of a Defence Ministry official and a homemaker mother, Akshat is not only confined to acting, dance and shows. Resident of INMAS Campus near Mall Road, he is equivalently good in studies too at Sachdeva Public School, Pitampura. Apart from scoring more than 80 per cent in every exam, he actively takes part in Quizzes and Drawing competitions at inter-school level and won numerous prizes in them. He is also into Martial Arts and has achieved Brown Belt in it.
But, unlike his super-star qualities, he has a very different career ambition in mind. He says, “I want to become a Computer Engineer but to prolong and retain my fame I also would like to be in modeling and acting.” When asked about the driving force behind him, Akshat without thinking otherwise credits all his success to his parents. “Whatever I am today that is because of my mod and dad. They carved my niche, which I am enjoying. They are my role models,” adds the child prodigy.
Concluding this, now it will not be an exaggeration to say that this wonder-boy made a foray into modeling world when he was just two years old when he gave his first innocent shot for a commercial.
No comments:
Post a Comment